Heavy Duty Firefighters Muscle In On Olympic Medals

BOCA RATON — Typical dinner conversation at the Battalion 5 Fire and Rescue station might lean toward the weight-lifting exploits of some of the unit`s members.

``I lifted 350 pounds today. How`d you do?``

``I did 410.``

``Yeah, and my grandmother lifted 1,000.``

The conversation would then drift toward other subjects, only to return to the annual Florida Firefighters Olympics, a monthlong competition that concluded Memorial Day weekend.

The weightlifters of the fire and rescue squad picked up two gold medals and a silver to help Palm Beach County finish third in the 13th annual event, which took place in Miami.

``We`re bragging to each other through the whole week,`` said Roy Interland, who won a silver in the 140-pound-plus weight class.

Mark Anderson, 24, a gold-medal winner in the 200-to-225-pound class, added, ``We tell each other about our lifts all the time.``

Lt. Jim Weston coaches the weightlifters, most of whom are stationed at Battalion 5, just west of Boca Raton. Weston, 38, lives in Boynton Beach and has been with the department for 10 years.

``We started four years ago, and it`s really blossomed,`` Weston said. ``More people want to get involved. I think we`ll have a lot more people next year.``

Interland, 29, a driver and paramedic who has been with the department for 11 years, said, ``Jim pushes everybody. I enjoy it. We do this to stay fit. When you`re a firefighter, you have to do physical fitness.``

Sometimes it`s hard to find time to practice, Weston said. Often, the firefighters must leave a workout to answer a call. But the dedication to competiton brings them back to finish their workouts late in the evening or on their days off.

``I think it`s 50-50,`` he said. ``You have to like it, and it does keep you in shape. That gives you an extra edge when you`re in a heavy structure fire. After most of the others are done, you`re still in there, lifting heavy equipment or moving debris.``

In addition to helping with the physical aspect of the job, the competition is good for department morale, said Bryan Lancey, who played on the basketball team and organized the whole Palm Beach County team. Lancey, 26, has been with the department 3 1/2 years as a paramedic and firefighter.

``People in the department go out of their way to be helpful,`` Lancey said. ``Chief (Herman) Brice has been very supportive of us. That`s made the whole thing worthwhile.``

The olympics started out as a local competition between Miami area fire and rescue stations, but it quickly grew to include departments from throughout the state. It is divided into three categories based on the size of the unit. Palm Beach County, recently consolidated, finished third in the largest division.

``The hardest part is organizing a team sport, trying to get 10 or 15 guys together,`` said Lancey, who coached basketball. ``But I`m more than happy to give up my weekends for this.``

There were approximately 150 people on the Palm Beach County team. Events included swimming, triathlon, wrestling, archery, horseshoes, arm-wrestling, flag football and war games.

Lancey said he doesn`t recruit firefighters to be on an olympic team. He just puts up notices to make all the stations aware of the competition.

``When people join, they really don`t know about this,`` Lancey said. ``They have their own special interest. But with so many different events, they`re bound to hit on something they like. The motivation comes before they join. And it keeps us all young.``

Weston would like to see more people in the department headed in that direction.

``There are a lot of ex-athletes here, and they enjoy working out,`` Weston said. ``One of my main goals is to get more of the older guys involved in this. Just because they`re 50 doesn`t mean they have to look like they`re 60.``